September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. This day commemorates the September 17, 1787, signing of the United States Constitution.

The U.S. Department of Education has responsibility for implementing the Constitution Day legislated mandates. Among these is the requirement for educational institutions that receive Federal funds to hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of each year.

To assist in planning Constitution Day and Citizenship Day programs, we are pleased to provide links to Federal Web sites that contain materials that can be publicly accessed for general use or for use as teaching materials in the classroom.

The Department of Education maintains a Web site for finding teaching resources across the Federal government. It's called FREE.

Constitution Resources:
Meet the delegates who gathered in Philadelphia in May 1787 to rewrite the Articles of Confederation. Learn what issues they faced. Discover the sources that inspired them. Read the essays printed in New York City papers urging ratification of the delegates' proposal. Explore a 200-year timeline showing the impact of the Constitution on our history. Search the Constitution, and see explanations of 300 topics.

We also refer you to the National Archives and Records Administration's Web site.

Celebrate Constitution Day:
Read the Constitution in its original form and in a transcript. View Webcasts of Senator Byrd's remarks and discussions on federalism and checks and balances.

The Constitution of the United States:
View high resolution scans of the original, signed Constitution. Obtain a transcript. Read an essay about the Constitutional Convention. Learn dozens of fascinating facts about the Constitution. Learn about each of the signers of the Constitution.